This is the classic ESL game. Every teacher I’ve known over my years of teaching has played it, and nearly all students love it. I even tried it once with some teenagers, and they liked it! The idea is really simple. You put some flashcards down on the floor. Two students are given fly swatters or some other hitting implement. When you say one of the flashcard names, the students rush up, trying to hit it first. If they do, they get a point. Of course, the game is meant for younger learners. It’s a great way to go over your vocabulary, while also getting a little of that Total Physical Response (TPR) that is encouraged so much. I like to switch it up a bit. For one round I’ll use picture cards. I’ll try to let all of the students go once, two at a time, and then I’ll throw down some word cards. This will be a bit more difficult, and you’ll often see the kids trying to hit every card until they get one right. Try writing some words on the board; you can play the game the same way. And I don’t think I’ve ever actually used fly swatters to play this game myself. I always had a hard time finding those in stores in China, so I usually used two plastic or soft balls. The students just have to hit the card with the ball, everything else is the same. If you haven’t already tried this game, I’m quite surprised. Make sure you let your students in on the fun today!